Planograpii co



A. Wl CURTIS.

n FOLDING CARRIAGE TOP FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.1'.1919.

1 3 l 2, 8 37 Patented Aug. 12, 1919.

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TME CuLuMBm PLANOGRAPH co.. WASHINGTON. D. c

ALMON W. CURTIS, 0F CORTLAND, NEW YORK.

FOLDING CARRIAGE-TOP FOR AUTOMOBILES.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aug, 12, 19.19.

Original application led August 28, 1916, Serial'No. 117,269. Divided and this application led February 7,

' 1919. Serial No. `275,575.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that LALMON W. CURTIS, of Cortland, in the county of Cortland, in the State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Folding Carriage-Tops for Automobiles, of which the following, takeniin connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to certainimprovements in folding carriage tops forautomobiles and similar vehicles, and refers more particularly to the vbow-supporting sections commonly known as the sockets, shown in my pending application Serial No. 117 ,269, filed August 28, 1916, of which the present application is-a division.

These sockets are usually made of thin sheet metal rolled into the form of a tapering tube having its longitudinal edges folded and nterlocked with each other, thus producing a seam running the entire length of the tube.

A wood bow section is usually employed to kconnect the upper ends of the socket sections for supporting the top or cover, and the present practice is to taper the ends of the wood section to correspond approximately to the inner size and taper of the upper ends of the sockets into which the tapered ends of the wood section are tightly driven which frequently results in opening of the seam to such anextent as to render the socket unfit for use.

In order to obviate these objectionable results, the manufacturers of sockets have sought to reinforcethern by introducing an extra metaly reinforcing tube within the outer tube, vthereby adding considerable to the weight and greatly increasing the cost of production of the sockets without materially reducing the liability of opening of the joints, particularly if the tapered ends ofthe wood section are slightly oversize or inaccurately fitted. t

Furthermore, it is found to be almost impossible to maintain the wood sections in their original form, owing to the tendency to warp, shrink or expand under climatic changes. Another serious objection to the wood bow is that it is necessarily cumbersome and unsightly in the unfinished state in which it is used and is in almost all in stances .covered with asheathing of cloth which is extended'slightly over the ends of the sockets to conceal the joint, and considerable diiiiculty and waste results from the use of these sheaths, owing to the fact that they must necessarily be prepared in tubular form before being drawn from one end over the entire length of the wood sections, by which operation they are frequently torn or ripjped to such an extent as to necessitate their being thrown aside as waste.,

One of the objects of my present invention is to produce a lighter, 'stronger and more durable sheet metal socket Without seam or apparent joint so that the interior and exterior thereof will be smooth throughout their respective areas, and at the same time avoiding the use of the usual inner reinforcing tube and preserving the full strength of the metal throughout its area to better resist wedging action of the ends of the bow sections in case the latter are driven into the sockets in the` usual manner.

The main object,'however,'isto avoid the objections and diiiculties incidental tothe use of wood bow sections by using metal bow sections similar to that Vset forth in my Patent No. 1,293,355, February 4:, 1919, and providing special clamping means for coupling the ends thereo-f to the ends of the sockets without driving or other endwise pressure, thereby expediting the work of assembling the parts of the bow, materially reducing the size and weight Vof the bow section, assuring a more permanent form to thek bow,` obviating` the use of the usual sheath andpermitting the metal bow section to be nished by'painting or enameling vin any color desired.

Other objects and uses relating to specific parts of thebowas a whole will be brought out in the following description.

n In the drawingsj Figure l is anelevation partly in section and partly broken away of a portionof a bow embodying the features of my'invention. a

Figs. 2 and 3 are enlarged transverse sectional views taken, respectively, on lines 2--2 and 3-3 Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a detached coupling for connecting one end. of the bow section to the socket section.

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view through the adjacent ends of one of the socket sections and bow sections.

Figs. 6 and 7 are sectional views similar to Figs. 5 and 3 of a modified form of my invention.

As illustrated, the bow as a whole comprises a pair of similar oppositely disposed tubular standards commonly known as bowsockets 1* and an arched member or bow 2* having its opposite ends abutting upon the upper ends of the bow sockets or sections land firmly secured thereto by couplings -3- so that the outer side faces of the ends of the bow section 2 are substantially coincident with the corresponding faces of the sockets, thus producing smooth surfaces over which the side quarters of the top may be drawn and secured if necessary.

Each of the sockets -1- ordinarily consist of a single piece of comparatively light sheet metal, such as steel, rolled into the forni of a tapering tube and operatively arranged with its larger end at the top, the longitudinal edges of the tubular piece of sheet metal abutting against each other and acetylene-welded to form a seamless and invisible joint, thus leaving the interior and exterior of the tube smooth and unbroken throughout its entire area, and at y the same time assuring a strength equal to or greater than the original stock, the tube being preferably oval or elliptical in cross section to further increase its strength.

Each socket is provided at its lower end with a hinge section -flhaving a reduced end 5 inserted therein and firmly held in place by acetylene-welding or equivalent fastening means, each hinge section being provided with means for attachment to the seat or other portion of the body of the vehicle and is also provided with means, as an eye --6, for receiving another topsupporting member, not shown.

The remaining portion of each tube may be lled with wood or other suitable tilling -l-, the sole purpose of which is to stiffen the tube against buckling, but in some instances, as for example in its use in connection with light tops, may be omitted.

When the wood lling is used it is preferably cut 0E flush with the top or upper end of the metal tube so as to form a better support for the abutting end of the bow section -2- which, in this instance, is made in the form of a hollow metal tube having a lengthwise channel -7- in its outer face eX"tending from end to end, in which is inserted a wood filling -8- to receive the tacks or other fastening means by which the lining of the top, as tb-1 may be secured thereto, said top being shown by dotted lines.

Only one side of the bow section Q4- is shown, but it is to be understood that the other side is the same, both ends being terminated the same distance from the center of the arch, and'preferably at right angles thereto, so as to abut closely against the upper ends of the tubes -l-.

It is also to be understood that two couplings -3- are used, one for each end of the bow section -2, each coupling consisting of an elongated cast or forged metal bar having a relatively llarge concavo-conveX base -9- and a longitudinally grooved or channeled extension l0- of substantially rectangular cross section which is ofset outwardly some distance beyond the inner face of the base -9- with its longitudinal groove or channel opening outwardly to receive and support the adjacent end of the bow section -2-.

rlhe upper portion of the base `9 of the coupling 8- forms what may be termedy a substantially semi-circular cap, this :forming an overhanging shoulder -llwhich rests upon the upper end of the standard or socket -1- when adjusted for use, while the remaining portions 'of the base extend downwardly along and against the inner face of the upper portion of the socket, and rigidly secured thereto by suitable fastening means, as bolts or rivets -12- and -13 having dat rounded heads impinging tightly against the outer face of the socket to leave said outer face as smooth as possible or free from unsightly or objectionable projections.

The inner concave face of the base -lof the coupling is made to conform to the transverse curvature of the inner face of the portion of the socket to which it is applied so that when placed in operative position, the opposite edges' of the base extend around the front and rear sides of the socket to additionally hold these parts against relative forward and rearward rocking movement when bolted together.

In like manner, the outer convex face is curved in cross section to correspond approximately to the transverse curvature of the socket, the stock of the base being comparatively thin, particularly at the edges so as toy produce a neat and desirable finish.

This base portion -9 is provided with an integral boss or journal bearing lllprojecting inwardly from its inner convex face to receive and support one of the braces or struts l5w for another bow, not shown, said brace or strut being held in place by the bolt 13 and a washer -16, as shown more clearly in Fig. 5, in which the 1Ibos is shown as hollow for receiving said By placing the strut or brace -l6- at the inner side of the socket section of the bow, it is possible to clash this part f the folding top within the space between the front and rear edges of said socket, thus permitting the entire top ito clash within a smaller and more compact space.

The channeled extension -10- of the coupling member 3- extends a sufficient distance along and against the inner face of the adjacent end of the bow section -2- to properly support the same against forward and rearward rocking movement relatively to said coupling and socket -l-,the channel in the outer face of the extension -10- being of substantially the same width as that of the end` of the bow section 2- which it receives, thus forming outwardly projecting ribs -l7- which fit closely against the front and rear faces of the bow section.

The channeled extension A10- is additionally secured to the bow section 2- by a bolt or rivet -18- which passes through an aperture in the adjacent end of the bow section and also through a vertically elongated slot -19- in the inner side of the extension -e10-- to allow the bow section to be adjusted vertically in case the length of the ends of different bows should vary slightly, thereby assuring a positive abutting of the ends of the bow section against the upper ends of the socket sections.

The particular bow shown constitutes the main suppont for what is commonly known as a one-man top, and the extension -10- is, therefore, provided with an additional apertured boss #-20- for receiving the adjacent end of another brace or stru-t -21-, the boss Z0 being also positioned at the inner side of the adjacent end of the bow section -2- and in a different plane from that of the boss #14,-- so that the struts or braces -1G- and -20- may clash in different planes wholly within the bow as a whole, thereby allowing the top-supporting bows to clash within a smaller and more compact space, the strut or brace -21-- being held in position by a bolt -212- and washer -23-, as shown more clearly in Fig. 5.

In assembling the parts of the bow as a whole, the couplings -3- are simply placed against the inner face of the upper end of the socket section -1- with the shoulder l1-seated against the end face of said socket section where it is bolted in place by the bolts -12- and -12-, whereupon the bow section -2- is placed in operative position with its ends in the channels of the extension -10- and its end faces abutting against the adjacent end faces of the socket sections -1- where it is secured in place by the bolts -18-.

The struts or braces -15- and -21 may then be placed in operative position upon their respective bosses -14l and -20 and held in place by the tightening of the nuts of the bolts 13 and -2Qf, all of which operations may be carried out without any liability of overstraining either the socket sections or bow section, and in fact by overlapping the sides of thev base -9- of the coupling -3- around the front and Arear sides of the socket section -ltends to reinforce rather than to weaken the socket section, the same being also true of the voverlapping sides of the extension -l0- upon the sides of the bow section.

Furthermore, by making the bow section of metal with the vwood lling therein, it maybe bent to an exact form with the assurance that it will retain such form under all climatic conditions ready for use at any time, and avoids the necessity for the usual cloth sheathing because it may be enameled or painted 'to any desired color to harmonize with the lining of the top.

Instead of making the coupling on the socket section separate, it may be made integral with said socket section, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, in which the upper end of substantially one-half of the metal tube is extended beyond the remaining portions and reduced in size to form an abutting shoulder similar to the shoulder -11- Fig. -5-, and a channeled extension -l0-, in which case the bolts -13- and 22d may be provided with the journal bearings -1/land -20- for receiving the parts l5- and -21-, respectively, the main body of the tube being made of somewhat heavier gage stock.

It is, of course, obvious that the sheet metal blank from which the bow-socket is formed will be tapered according to the taper required for the socket and that one side of the larger end thereof will lift with an integral extension of suiiicient size to form the channeled extension -10- which may be pressed to the desired form to receive the adjacent end of the bow section during the molding of the main body into tubular form after which the meeting edges of the tube may be butt-welded together in the manner described.

By making the channeled extension -10- integral with the tubular socket not only obviates the use of extra couplings but also adapts itself more readily to the reception of the ends `of the tubular sheet-metal bowsections, and at the same time materially reduces the weight and cost of manufacture and assembling of the top as a whole.

What I claim is:

1. In a folding top for vehicles a tubular sheet-metal bow-socket having the upper end of its inner side extended some distance beyond the upper end of its outer side, said extension being offset outwardly beyond the inner face of the main body of the tube, the opposite longitudinal edges of the extension being bent outwardly in spaced relation to form a lengthwise channel for receiving the adjacent end of a bow-section.

2. In a folding top for Vehicles a tubular posed Wholly Within the'oross sectional `ree 10 sheet-metal bow-socket having the upper end of said main body.

of its inner eide extended some distance be- In Witness whereof I have hereunto Set yond the upper engl of 1tslouter sde,ha.nd my hand this 1st day of February 1919. the extension forme Witla engthwsee annel opening outwardly to receive the adja A W' CURTIS' ceni'l end of aA bow-seeton, said extension he- W'itnesses:

ing reduced in cross section to less size than H. E. CHASE,

that of the main Ibody of the socket, and dis- J. M. MCNAMARA.

kCopies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

